I started hearing mini-hype about Drake maybe two years ago. I’m generally open to new artists, especially those that are unknown. I asked someone via last.fm relatively about it and they told me to check it out, sending me a link to do so. It took forever, but I finally got around to hearing Brand New and I hated it. The second song I listened to didn’t impress me either so I let it go. The following year, I gave it another listen. I still didn’t like him.

Then comes 2009 and Best I Ever Had. Best I Ever Had wasn’t my favorite song, but I liked it. It made me think, “Hey! Maybe I was wrong about this guy!” I tried to listen to a few of his other tracks, but I still didn’t like him.

Fast forward to more recent times. There’s a singer on YouTube who goes by Broadway (user name is hottlikefire03). He sang Bria’s Interlude during one of his live chats and even did a series of Drake songs on his YT. And forgiving person that I am, I decide to give this kid yet another try. I was cruising the internet earlier this month and downloaded So Far Gone, making it the fifth mixtape I’d downloaded since June (remember that Trey Songz entry I wrote?).

And, WHAT do you know? I like it. Best I Ever Had, in my opinion, gives the wrong impression of this mixtape. I was expecting a bunch of rap that I was likely still not going to be bowled over by. That’s not what it is. SFG is a decent mix of styles. A Little Bit, my second favorite song, is a duet with Lykke Li, and the album also includes appearances by Peter Bjorn, Omarion (on the aforementioned Bria’s Interlude), Lloyd, and Santigold.

My main issue with Drake is that people are speaking about him like he’s the end all be all of rap. And I just didn’t and, as of now, still don’t agree with that assessment. I enjoy his singing more than his rapping. Often, when he raps, it sounds like he’s trying to be “hard” and I’m just not buying it. Nothing he does will change that. Additionally, the ladies are drooling over him, but I can’t get past the unibrow and mysterious hairline, while his pancake batter-like complexion is off to me.

Though I’m still not sure if he’s the greatest rapper since Will Smith (….joke), SFG has quite a few tracks on repeat.  Below are my favorite songs on So Far Gone, in order of how much I like them.

1. A Night Off (Featuring Lloyd)
2. A Little Bit (Featuring Lykke Li)
3. Sooner Than Later
4. The Calm
5. Ignant Shit (Featuring Lil Wayne)  [This one made it cause of the beat alone.  Loves it.]

I was at a hockey game recently and I got there pretty early. As I was waiting for the game to start, I heard a fantastic new (to me) so song. Which is amazing, in and of itself. Usually songs at sporting events are played out. Those tracks that you’ve heard at least 1,000 times before. But the hockey folks managed to surprise me. I broke out my enV touch (which I don’t love as much as my enV, but enjoy nontheless) and used the handy dandy Verizon Song ID to figure out what it was. The song was Beggin by Madcon, an artist I didn’t know. It’s a song I’d heard before, but couldn’t place to save my life. It’s awesome and catchy as hell. A few days later, when I had some time at home, I looked them up on iTunes. But Apple failed me.

It’s rare, but it happens. There was only an EP. After some googling and downloading, I find out that Madcon is a rap duo from Norway. And they’ve had THREE albums. Just not in the US, which is a damn shame. I love their sound. So in case you’re curious, here are my three favorite Madcon songs:

1) Dandelion
2) Wholehearted
3) Beggin’

I can’t remember if I’ve ever raved about Ryan Leslie here. I’ve certainly done it in my real life. I even got Toni hooked on him. She went with a group of our friends to the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans this summer and saw him perform live. There was something about him looking at her and touching her hand. It was enough to make her think they bonded. (She has a loose hold on reality sometimes. :cP)

Early this summer, he posted a link to download his new single “You’re Not My Girl.” Which I did promptly. I listened to it, loved it, and then forgot about it. This isn’t the first time this has happened and it doesn’t mean I don’t love the song. It happened with the first Amy Winehouse song I ever downloaded (”You Know I’m No Good” free from iTunes). I would hear it come up on shuffle and say to myself, “Self, why don’t you listen to this song?? It’s amazing!”

Anyway. That’s what happened with this song. I also read his blog. He posted the video for the song on there and when I finally got time, I watched it… and fell in love with the song all over again. I’ve been rocking that song ever since. For realz. I love that song so much I’m actually thinking of making it my ringtone, replacing “Off the Wall” by the late great Michael Jackson.

If have not been fortunate enough to hear this fantastically catchy, greatly amazing song, lend me your ears.